1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates generally to measuring the flow rate of a fluid flowing through a piping section. More particularly, the disclosure relates to retrofitting an orifice meter fitting to receive and measure the flow rate using ultrasonic or optical measuring techniques.
2. Background of the Technology
In pipeline operations and other industrial applications, flow meters are used to measure the volumetric flow rate of a gaseous or liquid flow stream moving through a piping section. It is often desirable to know with accuracy the amount of fluid flowing in the stream and particular accuracy is demanded when the fluid is changing hands, or during “custody transfer.” Even where custody transfer is not taking place, however, measurement accuracy is desirable.
Flow meters for measuring the flow rate of a fluid in a piping section are available in many different forms. One common flow meter is an orifice meter, which measures the pressure on either side of an orifice plate extended across the flow to determine the flow rate passing through the piping section. Other types of meters include ultrasonic and optical meters, which employ ultrasonic acoustic signals and light beams, respectively, to measure the flow rate of a fluid in a given piping section.